Top 10 News in Brief: Kitui Bus Accident; Regrets, Empty Promises And Shameless Leaders

As you start your day, you need to power your mind with some relevant and useful information.

We have picked for you the Top 10 stories making the headlines on this day, 6th October 2021.

Mothers, Children Perish in Mwingi Bus Accident 

The death toll of the ill-fated Kitui school bus that plunged into River Enziu in Mwingi soured to 33 yesterday after 10 more bodies were recovered.

Among persons whose bodies were retrieved include two mothers and their children aged two weeks and 18 months.

Of the 60 passengers who were on board, the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) and divers have only managed to rescue 10

President Uhuru Kenyatta mourned with the families of the departed souls and appealed to motorists and Kenyans to desist from crossing flooded areas.

Survivors Recount Bus Tragedy Ordeal 

Some of the Kenyans who narrowly escaped death after a bus ferrying choir members to a wedding was swept away by floods at River Enziu bridge have narrated the harrowing experience.

They explained that the driver, who is among those who lost their lives, had refused to cross the bridge for more than two hours, insisting that he was not familiar with the place.

However, the travelers pressured him, arguing that they were getting late for the wedding.

Eventually, he got confident and risked after several vehicles crossed to the other side.

The shame of River Enziu Bridge 



The Kitui bus tragedy that has left over 30 people dead has brought to light the sorry state of the River Enziu bridge and how leaders have gambled with the lives of their people.

Although this accident caught national attention due to the seismic impact, it has emerged that this is not the first time people have died at the same spot, especially during the rainy season.

In 2019, the government made a promise of constructing a bridge, but until today no single work has started.

Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, who visited the hospitalised victims admitted that the bridge was a shame a promised to find a solution from President Uhuru Kenyatta.

DP Ruto Impressed by Gachagua 

Deputy President William Ruto at the weekend thanked Mathira MP Rigathi Gachahua after mobilizing the locals to come out in large numbers to receive him.

In his two-day tour in Nyeri County, the second in command kept praising Gachagua for his great efforts that saw thousands of residents attend the numerous rallies where he popularized his presidential bid, which he is billing around the ‘Hustler Nation’ and bottom-up economic model.

Dr. Ruto also hinted at picking Gachagua as his running in the next year’s State House contest.

Besides having unmatched grassroots networks in Nyeri, the first-time lawmaker is filthy rich and would fund the expensive presidential campaigns.

Ruto: Uhuru’s State of The Nation Address Was Empty 

Deputy President William Ruto yesterday described President Uhuru Kenyatta’s State of the Nation speech last week as empty and dynastic.

Speaking in Nyeri, the DP claimed that the whole purpose of the address was to re-introduce the Building Bridges Initiative, which failed after the courts declared it unconstitutional.

The second in command said his boss was obsessed with creating positions for a few politicians instead of fulfilling the promises they made to Kenyans in 2013 and 2017.

He asserted that his bottom-up economic model would be the only solution for Kenya.

Joho Says Family’s Multi-Billion Business is Legit 

Mombasa Governor Ali Hassan Joho has yet against told off critics, who allege that his family had hijacked activities at Port of Mombasa.

The county chief insisted that the family’s multi-billion business is legitimate and partnerships with the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) are transparent.

Some investors have been claiming that Joho was using his position and closeness to the government to influence awarding of tenders at the port.

Maranda High School Closed Again 

Students at Maranda High School were sent home yesterday after burning another dormitory, barely a week after resuming learning following an earlier strike.

The learners torched a dormitory after the school insisted that they would start mock examinations this morning, December 6.

They planted warning letters all over the institution, threatening that they would destroy school properties if the test were not postponed.

Mutua Presents His Manifesto to Kenyans 

Presidential aspirant and Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua yesterday released snippets from his manifesto, highlighting 13 issues he would tackle if elected President next year. Some of the issues he mentioned include working on a favorable tax regime, improved healthcare, infrastructural development, and fighting corruption.

However, he caused controversy after saying his administration would support newlyweds with flexible loans to start life.

He stated that would be entitled to Ksh1 million payable within 10 years.

Governor Kahiga Ditches Jubilee For UDA

Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga on Sunday declared his support for Deputy President William Ruto and revealed that he will be seeking re-election using the United Democratic Alliance (UDA).

Kahiga, who hosted the DP, said as the only county boss from the Mt Kenya region yet to leave the Jubilee Party, he was under pressure from his family and the electorates to join UDA.

He added that Dr. Ruto’s message was resonating with the ground and that’s why has resolved to switch to UDA.

While hosting ODM leader Raila Odinga a week ago, the governor lectured the former Prime Minister to his face, stating that the locals were not interested in his history, which he termed as empty rhetoric.

Each Lawmaker to Return Ksh6.5 Allowances 

Each of the 418 lawmakers from the National Assembly and the Senate will have their salaries deducted to recover Ksh2.7 billion illegal allowances they pocketed between October 2018 and December 2020. Every MP received Ksh6.5 million.

The parliamentarian had moved to the Court of Appeal to challenge a judgment of the High Court that ordered them to return the money. A three-judge bench refused to set aside the High Court’s verdict.

The legislators approved the allowances in 2018 without permission from the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC).


SOURCE: Nii Otu Dadeban Ankrah